The Northeast verdict indicates a major shift in the nature and structure of the politics of Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland. The coming polls in MP, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan will, however, present a different set of challenges — fighting anti-incumbency, the BJP will be defending rather than attacking.

People, including students, do trust the armed forces. But JNU VC’s suggestion should concern us all. The broader debate may be imagined as consisting of two parts. One concerns the idea of nationalism, the other concerns the idea of the university.